Burn ban issued for Fulton County

'Due to prolonged dry conditions, there is an elevated risk for fires to spread quickly and become out of control. Fulton County has already experienced a few grass fires recently, and the threat is expected to elevate in the coming days and weeks.'

Fulton County Commissioners, with recommendations from the Emergency Management Agency and local fire departments, have issued a burn ban for Fulton County. 

"Right now, I hate to say it, but it's indefinite until the weather turns," Fulton County EMA Director Dawn Sewell said, adding that she would be notifying the National Weather Service. "We're a prime tinder out there in our fields right now."

The burn ban went into effective immediately upon its passage at commissioners' meeting Monday. Marshall County did the same after its commissioners' meeting in the morning.

"Due to prolonged dry conditions, there is an elevated risk for fires to spread quickly and become out of control," a press release on the ban states. "Fulton County has already experienced a few grass fires recently, and the threat is expected to elevate in the coming days and weeks."

The order declares that, effective immediately, the following activities are prohibited in Fulton County:

• Open burning of any kind using conventional fuel such as wood, or other combustible material, with the exception of grills fueled by charcoal briquettes or propane (charcoal from permitted grill shall not be removed until the charcoal has been thoroughly extinguished);
• The burning of debris, such as timber or vegetation, including such debris that results from building construction activities.

Small cooking campfires and small covered fires, however, are permitted, according to commissioners. Only larger fires, such as recreational bonfires or the burning of wooded debris and/or waste, are prohibited.

"If one of your fire departments goes and responds to your burn ban, it's what they say and that's what goes, so don't get in arguments with them," Sewell advised. "The city and the county will back our fire departments up on what they say happens and what they say goes."

She noted Rochester Schools' homecoming bonfire will be the only exception and will be under the complete supervision of Rochester Fire Department. 

"Everybody knows that the big bonfire for Rochester Schools homecoming is this Friday. That's already been addressed with TJ, the fire chief here in Rochester," she said. "He was already planning on going and completing surrounding and supervising that, so that is our only, only bonfire exception."

As for this weekend's Trail of Courage Living History Festival, Sewell said fires for cooking are permitted, but need to be covered. 

To report a violation of the burn ban, contact the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. 

If conditions improve due to significant rainfall, commissioners will rescind the burn ban and again permit the above activities. 

A statewide map of counties that have burn bans is available at in.gov/dhs/burnban. This map will be updated once Fulton County has returned to a normal burning status. Further updates also will be posted to the Fulton County website and the Fulton County EMA Facebook page.